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Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence.

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On Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:27:28 -0000 (UTC), Tony
<lizandtony@orcon.net.nz> wrote:

>https://waikanaewatch.org/2026/03/16/we-need-the-marsden-point-refinery-now/
>An incompetent and selfish decision.

Except for a major lie in that article.  The Marsden Pt refinery was
not closed by any Government - it was closed by the owners.  The case
for refining crude oil onshore was never strong, made weaker when
Asian economies could get refined product cheaper to distribution
points around NZ than the refinery could.

There are few sources of the crude oil that the refinery could handle.
There are many more sources of refined product that we get today. When
the refinery was built, all suppliers of petrol/diesel etc in NZ were
required to use Marsden Pt output (importation was not permitted).
There was never any justification for building the refinery other than
creating local jobs at the expense of sourcing cheaper petrol in a
free market.

The reality is that Gull in particular demonstrated that they could
supply the NZ market cheaper then the companies that owned Marsden Pt.
When the refinery was closed, its owners joined the same business
model as Gull (and NPD, originally also Challenge).  Our supply lines
are more diverse for refined versus crude.  The refineries used now
will almost certainly have access to stockpiled crude oil so that the
refinery can survive crude oil supply crunches.

Yes the Labour Governments of 2017-2023 made pointless decisions that
restricted local exploration but the presence or absence of a refinery
in NZ is not relevant.


-- 
Crash McBash

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Thread

It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Tony <lizandtony@orcon.net.nz> - 2026-03-16 00:27 +0000
  Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> - 2026-03-16 17:17 +1300
    Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Gordon <Gordon@leaf.net.nz> - 2026-03-16 07:25 +0000
    Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Mutley <mutley2000@hotmail.com> - 2026-03-17 08:48 +1300
      Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> - 2026-03-17 09:24 +1300
        Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. wn@nosuch.com (Willy Nilly) - 2026-03-17 00:39 +0000
          Re: It's what self interest does to a Prime Minister with low intelligence. Crash <nogood@dontbother.invalid> - 2026-03-17 14:36 +1300

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